Selector contact bank



Jan. 13, 1931.

D. L. LIENZEN SELECTOR CONTACT BANK Filed Feb. 25". 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 i I l l I I I 1 I 27.02", Pi /ch36 hvvew rag -humh Jan. 13,1931. D. 1.. LIENZEN 7 SELECTOR CONTACT BANK Filed Feb. 25. 1929 s Sheets-Sheet 2 I l 1 I l I l l l I D. L. LlENZEN SELECTOR CONTACT BANK Filed Feb. 25. 1929 6 Shoots-Shut 3 D O. I. I. .0

IIIOIIOIII uni-00.000

Jan. 13,1931. D. L. LIENZEN SELECTOR CONTACT BANK Filed Feb. 25. 1929 6 shcetfl-sheet 4 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 D. 1.. LIENiEN SELECTOR CONTACT BANK Filed Feb. 25. 1929 Jan. 13, 1931.

Jan. 13, 1931. D. L. LIENZEN SELECTOR CONTACT BANK Filed Feb. 25. 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Patented .Jan. 13, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT ornce DAVID LAURENTIUS 1.1mm; ors'rocxHoLiu, swarm, assrenon T TELEFONAK 'rmnomenr L. M. nnIcssoN, or srocxnorm; SWEDEN, A. COMPANY or swnmm SELECTOR CONTACT BANK.

Application filed February 25, 1929, Serial No. 3423508, and in Sweden February 2a, 1928.

The present invention relates to such selector systems in the automatic telephony in which the incomingand outgoing lines extend through the contact bank perpendicularly to each other and are provided with contact members disposed in the points of intersection which contact members are adapted to be selected and actuated by means of a selecting mechanism disposed in the front of the bank. The objectof'the invention is to bring about certain improvements in the desi n' of theicontact bank for suchselectors. M ire' especially, theinvention has for its object to make possible the utilization of both sides of the contact banks to establish communication between'the incoming and outgoing lines.

The invention will -be more closely described with-reference to the accompanying drawings which show a selector frame. with appertaining'selecting mechanisms and contact banks. Figure 1 is a horizontal section through the frame in which section several details are omitted inorder to show more clearly the most important parts of the frame together with the'devices' disposed thereon. Figs. 2a and 26 show horizontal sections of this frame on a larger scale thedesign of the selecting mechanisms and the contact devices go'being thus indicated more clearly. Figs. 3a and 36 show portions of the frame seen from below. Figure' ishows a vertical section of a somewhat modified embodiment of the frame- Figure 5 shows a: group of contact arms in front view and Figure 6'shows the fore ends of the contact arms as viewed from above. Figure 7 shows the contact arms in side view togetherwith the appertaining 'operating device. Figure 8 shows a'contact arm so as seen from aboveand Figure 9 the same in si'de' view'. Figures 10 and 11 show the shafts ing of the selecting mechanism, Figure 10 showing the shafts in end view and Figure 11 the same as viewed" from above. Figures 12, 13 and 14 are difi'erentprojections of a shaft bearing; v 1

The frame as-shownin Figures 1, 2 and 3 supports a pluralit of different selecting mechanisms disposed two and two in horizontazl groupswhich goups ere-"placed above each other in a vertical'arrangement the different selectingmechanisms in each selector pair being disposed. on bothsides of the centrallydisposed contact bank. Each selector is adapted to establish communication between a number of vertically extending wires 1, on the one side, and a number of horizontally extending wires 2, on a the other side. In the shown'example the wires 1 represent 200 lines each comprising three wires; namely the two speaker wires 3, 4-and the third wire 5 according to Figures 1 and 2;. These wires may in this case be'assumedto'b'e subscribers lines but they may also be j unction' lines over which communications are established between difierent switching. sections of an automatic telephone exchange. The wires 1' consistsuitably of bare" wires extending: vertically through several horizontal selector groups in the frame In the shown example they are disposed in parallelepipedic bundles'thus forming parallel wire layers in relation-to each other both in such planes'whieh are parallel with the frontof the contact bank and in planes perpendicular thereto. Each wire layer disposed perpendicularly to the front of the bank contains six wires appertaining to two different lines: The total number of wires -1 is dividedinto ten bundles each containing sixty wires corresponding totwenty lines. a y I The wires 2 may in this case representsuch junction lines to whichthe subscribers lines 1 are connected. Thesewires form one vertical single'wire layer. comprising six bare wires corresponding to two lines each line containing two speaker wires 6, 7 and athird wire 8 in Figure 3. The connection between the wires-1 and 2 is established by means of contact members 9 designed according to Figures 8and 9. Said contact membersare secured tothe wirexl in a manner disclosed inthe following description and are provided with two-contact arms-1'0, 11 extending inoppos site directions. The wires 1 in each wire 'layerextending perpendicularly to the front of the contact bank are thus connectedto six contact members the arms '10 or 11 respec tively of which are arranged vertically above each other an extend through theemter" space between the wires 2. Upon being'actuated by the selecting mechanism said contact members may establish a simultaneous contact between all wires 1 in the appertaining wire layer, on the one side, and the corresponding wire 2, on the other side, the wires 3, 4, 5 appertaining to one subscribers line being then connected to the wires 6, 7 8 appertaining to a junction line. Each parallelepipedic bundle of wires 1 is thus provided with ten groups of contact arms 10 or 11 respectively corresponding to the ten different wire layers. These different groups of contact arms may be selected and actuated by means of a selecting mechanism which will be more closely describedinthe following. In each setting position of the selecting mechanism two subscribers lines 3, 4, 5 are then simultaneously connected to two junction lines 6, 7, 8. The two lines 6, 7, 8 represent in realityonly one junction line as the junction line in known manner is adapted to be connected to either the one or the other of these two wire groups 6, 7, 8 by means of a thro'wover relay. Only one subscribers line may thus be connected to said junction line in each setting position of the selector.

The selecting mechanism and the contact bank are supported by a framework which in turn is carried by two vertical beams 12, 13. To these beams two end plates 14, 15 are secured which carry the selectors. Also two vertical channel irons .16, 17 are secured to said end plates and support the framework v in which the'contact bank is disposed. Said framework consists substantially of a number of pairs of horizontal rods 18, 19 spaced apart a suitable distance and arranged above each other and also a number of thereto secured angle irons 20, 21. The horizontal rods 18, 19 carry the difierent parallelepipcdic bundles of wires 1 by means of a corresponding number of insulating plates 22 provided with holes through which the wires pass. Saidplates are by means-of screws 23 secured to angular supports 24which in'turn by means of screws 25 are secured to the rods 19. The wires 2ieXtend in a similar manner through holes in insulating plates 26 which are secured to angle irons 20 and 21 respectively;

The selecting mechanisms are disposed below the appertaining groups of contact arms on both sides of the contact bank. They are mounted on plates 27 and 28 respectively which rest on horizontal. angleirons 29- and,

30'which are secured to the beams 12, 13 by means of vertical angle irons 31'and 32 re spectively, on the one side, and to vertical metal strips 33 and 34 respectively, on the other side, said strips 'beingadapted' to tie the angle irons by their outer ends and provided with bent in projections 35 to which the plates 27 28 maybe secured by means of bent up projections 36 on the last mentioned plates and screws 37. The supporting plates 27, 28 engage by their inner edges slots 38 in the end plates 14 according to Fig. 3a. The inner portion of the supporting plates 27, 28 lying between the end plates 14, 15 extends inwards against the contact bank and is provided with a vertical edge 39 forming a rear support for the bearing 40 of the selecting mechanism.

Each selecting mechanism consists substantially of two shafts 41, 42 rotatably journalled in the bearings 40 and appertaining driving members which in the shown example consist of two electromagnets 43, 44

taining relays may be swung to the side the selecting mechanism located in the rear being then easily accessible. Each selector is provided with a connecting device the one portion 7 5 of which is secured to the plate-27 and 28 respectively'and the other portion 76 of which is secured to the endplate 14 and 15 respectively, contact being then established by inserting the selector in the frame. a

The shafting of the selector may be seen most clearly in Figures lO'and 11. A number of coupling sleeves 53 are thrust on the shaft 42 which sleeves are journalled on rings 54 secured to the shaft 43, on the one side, and in recesses 55 in the bearing block 40, on the other side. The design of said blocks is seen in Figures provided with two bores 56, 57 for the shaft 41, 42 respectively. On the one side, they are provided with a'cylindrical bearing surface 58 for a purpose specified in the following. The coupling sleeves 53 are provided with two series of helically disposed studs 59, 60 according to Figure 2. Each series comprises ten such studs distributed over half thecircumference of the sleeve. Said studs serve to operate the different groups of contact arms 10, 11 as the same upon'turning the sleeve successively actuate the different groups of contact arms disposed vertically above each other. By setting the coupling sleeve53 in ten different angular positions any of said groups of contact arms may thus be selected and actuated in order toestablish communicationbetween the wires 1V.and 2.: Two series of studs 59, '60 are disposed in ore der to deeieasethe angularmotion required for each setting step. After the one series of studs has been used for setting the selector the other series will be used at next setting of the selector, a normal position being disposed between the two series of studs in which no group of contact springs is actuated.

In order to select a line in an arbitrary parallelepipedic bundle of wires 1 the coupling sleeves are disposed in such a way that any one of the coupling sleeves may be selected and mechanically coupled to the shaft 42. The selection of the coupling sleeve 53 corresponding to the desired line group is effected by means of the electromagnet 43 and the shaft 41. For this purpose said shaft is provided with two series of coupling studs 59, 60 which are disposed along two helical lines on the shaft in such a manner that each series of studs 59 and 60 respectivel extends over half'the circumference o the shaft. Said studs are intended to cooperate with the coupling members on the coupling sleeves 53 which coupling members consist of two elastic arms 61, 62 which are secured to the end of the coupling sleeve and at their free ends are provided with a pawl 63 and 64 respectively disposed outside the end of the sleeve which pawl upon being actuated by a stud 59 or 60 respectively may be brought into engagement with a slot 65 or 66 respectively on a coupling ring 67 disposed on the shaft 42. When setting the shaft 41, the coupling sleeves and the coupling then taking up the angular position shown in Figure 5, the studs 59 and 60 respectively will successively actuate the different coupling members 62 so as to bring them into operative position. After the coupling sleeve in this way has been selected and coupled to the shaft 42 said shaft is turned by means of the electromagnet 44 in a counter clockwise direction in Figure 10 the coupling member 62 then sliding off from the studs 59 and instead making contact with the cylindrical bearing surface 58 on the bearing block 40 the pawl 64 being maintained in engagement with the ring 67 during the continuous turning motion of the shaft 42. The corresponding coupling sleeve 53 is thus caught and set in a position corresponding to the desired line. The other coupling sleeves 53 remain then in their normal position. Upon interrupting the talking communication the selecting mechanism is returned to normal position by a continued motion of the. shaft 41, 42 in the same direction as before until they are returned into their normal positions.

The manner in which the groupsof contact springs are actuated is shown in Figure 7 where a coupling sleeve for the sake of simplicity is indicated as a toothed wheel 68. Each group of contact springs is adapted to be actuated by means of an elastic arm 69 which is disposed in the frame and by its outer hookshaped end bears against the lower endof'anirrsulatling plateTO; which unites the 'en'ds' of-theconoaet arms ltl'in one'and the same group of springs insucha manner that all springs in the'same" groupmay be: actuated by means of the plate 70; appertaining to the different groups of springs are displaced imrelation to each other in the longitudinal direction of the springs as may beseenin: Figures 6 and 7. For this reason eaclrother 'arm 69 is: by its outer end provided with anextension (1 in orderto reach the corresponding plates 70. The: plates70 are 'li'eldmag'ai'nst the cone spending groups of contact springs-by means 0 stamped out; projections 72-" in theuppei most and the lowermost contact arm 10, said projections being somewhatelast/ic so that The plates 70 v theplates ftl maybe: pushed over the ends of r the contact arms andr retained between: the endsoftheprojectimsfl; 5

'Tlre'eontact membersare'shaped according to Figures 8-and9; T consist-view elos tic inetal 5 plate "the two arms ill, 11- of which'are" bent over perpendicularlygtothe The latter portion: is fpro middle'portion: vided with four-stampedout Wingsi'fi which are'bent over as'showwin Figure 8 andwlrich are elastic so" that the contact member may be squeeesed and heldtia position onithe upper mining: wire 1- solely the elasticity of" the wings 7-3. In :orden t' cap the contact arms in a suitahledistance from the corresponding wire layer the rheta'l plate-'between'said1wing$ 73' is provided with an ofiset fi forminga sup for unwise-1. I I he-'modifitation-' as shown iii Figure? '4 differs from the vembmlimentgaecoirdmgt'o L to 3 subst1mltiallyonly tboreinthat thesupporting plates 27, 28 are disposedbe low the appartainxingvcontact springsyon the one side and'abowe the same; on the other side, in order to'o'btain a complete symmetry in'the assembly of thedifierentparts of the frame: Figure 4 shows also the grouping of the selecting mechanisms and theoontact bankrinflargerrgroupsi To eaeh group'iof 200 subseriberskline's there maygbeidn'g by way of example sixteen outgoing junction lines provided with sixteen appertaining selecting mechanisms disposed two and two in horizontal groups, each group being disposed above the other. The bottom portion of Figure 4 shows the four upper horizontal groups of such a larger group and the top portion the lower group in another corresponding large group of 200 subscribers lines disposed above the first mentioned groups in the same frame.

The invention which thus substantially relates to the design of the contact bank is, of course, independent of the character of those selecting mechanisms by means of which the contact arms are selected and actuated. One may thus by way of exam le instead of the described mechanism main. use

tie

of. relay selectors of a type known per-se in which a number of rotatable or displaceable rods are adapted to be actuated by relays in different combinations so that different groups of contact springs may be selected and actuated by energizing these relays in diilerent combinations.

I claim:

1. A selector structure having selector mechanisms arranged on both sides of a c0ntact bank comprising outer bundles of parallel wires arranged on opposite sides of the contact bank, intermediate bundles of parallel wires arranged between said outer bundles of wires and extending parallelly with the sides of the contact bank in a direction perpendicular to the wires of the outer bundles and contactmembers adapted to be operated by the selector mechanisms and consisting of contact arms secured to the wires of the intermediate bundle and extending to opposite sidesof the contact bank.

2. A selector structure as claimed in claim 1, in -Which the wires of the intermediate bundles are arranged in rows perpendicular to the sides of the contact bank.

' 3. A selector structure having selector mechanisms arranged on'bothsides of a contact bank comprising outer bundlesof parallel wires arranged on'opposite sides of the contact bank, intermediate-bundles of parallel wires arranged in rows perpendicular to thesides ofthe contact bank and disposed between said outer bundles of wires the wires of the intermediate bundles extending parallelly with the sides of the contact bank in a direction perpendicular'to the wires of the outer bundles, and contact members adapted to be operated by. the selector mechanisms and consisting of contact arms secured to the wires of the intermediate bundles and ex tending to opposite sides of the-contact bank the contact arms of each row of wires bein disposed above each other in a plane'paralle with the row of wires. Z

Intestimony whereof I afiix my signature.

DAVID LAURENTIUVSLIENZEN. 

